Love at First Bark

How Saving A Dog Can Sometimes Help You Save Yourself

Julie Klam returns with more humorous insight into life with canine companions. She focuses here on dog rescue, and its healing power not only for the dogs who are cared for and able to find good homes, but also for the people who bond with these animals. Klam became involved with rescue as a way to help and participate in a community, but she never imagined just how much she would receive in return. The dogs she has rescued through the years have filled her life with laughter and contentment, sorrow and frustration, and they have made certain that she never has a dull moment. Along the way, she has collected stories from friends who have also found that guiding dogs to nurturing homes made their own lives richer. These experiences show us that even in our smallest gestures we can make a big difference.--From publisher description.

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I've been reading about animals since I could read, I think. I love books that share the connection we can make with animals, a writer that can show me that through that connection they understand, they "get it" about what the animal may be feeling and going through. Julie Klam is not one of those writers. After finishing this little book I knew exactly what Julie was going through at every moment, whether she was wearing the proper shoes for the rescue she was doing, etc. and it just wasn't as interesting to me as what the dogs were feeling. The worst example of her obliviousness has to be when she and her husband were driving the pitbull they'd rescued one hot summer day, fed about a gallon of water to along with 3 cans of Alpo dog food (she admits knowing that wasn't good for him,) all the way to CT from NYC and never let it out once to relieve itself. Well o.k. they were enjoying this togetherness and patching holes in their foundering marriage, and I'm happy for that, but to not once consider the needs of the dog?! It floors me. Then I'm supposed to enjoy the humor about how long this poor animal urinates once it is allowed to when they arrive at the rescue woman's home. It says a lot about some pretty colossal insensitivity, and inadvertently also speaks volumes about how good the pitbull dog is, this is so typical of them to try so hard to do the right thing for people, even the clueless. I am truly grateful that they got him to a rescue though.

Overall, I kept waiting for something to click with me and this book, but it just never did for me. I've been thinking about it since I finished it. Is it maybe that she is primarily a comedic writer, that she never touches on those deeper levels of feeling? Can't be sure. I feel she is quite sincere in her commitment to animal rescue I just don't think she writes about it very well.

Summary

This is a great story, actually three vignettes of how animals or her work with animal rescue has helped or related to her family and life. The title draws you in and the 'tales' don't disappoint.
I'm anxious to read another book she's written.